Mr. Chairman, I just want to say a few words on this nomination. I will vote for Judge Mukasey to be Attorney General for the . Judge Mukasey is a capable person - intelligent, knowledgeable of the law, and honorable. He’s a straight shooter, a man of the law, not of politics. Judge Mukasey appears to be fiercely independent, which is a key quality we want in the individual who will run the Justice Department. Certainly we all agree that the Justice Department needs good effective leadership, and a shot in the arm to boost morale. With so many positions open at the Justice Department, we need to act quickly to fill the top spot. I think that Judge Mukasey will be a good captain for that ship.
In my opinion, Judge Mukasey has been candid with the Committee and has done his best at answering questions on what his views are on various issues. Judge Mukasey says that he hasn’t been briefed on specific interrogation techniques, so he cannot make broad statements on what is legal and what is not. But he also says that torture is against the law and the Constitution. He said that he opposes torture and would tell the President in no uncertain terms that any technique he concluded amounted to torture is illegal.
I take Judge Mukasey at his word. I don’t believe that he would allow any illegal program to go forward. And I don’t believe that he would bow to any kind of pressure – even from the President - if he thought that there were a problem. So I’m disappointed in some of my colleagues who have disqualified Judge Mukasey because he won’t give them exactly the answer they want.
Judge Mukasey is an outstanding nominee – you couldn’t ask for a more competent individual for the job. He has presided over thousands of cases, and he’s shown that he can handle hard cases fairly. He’s demonstrated to us that he is his own person, and that he is an independent individual with a strong commitment to the law and the Constitution.
I urge my colleagues to support this highly qualified individual. I believe he will be a good steward of the Justice Department, and will uphold the law and the Constitution. Judge Mukasey deserves our support, and he deserves to be confirmed.